Chapter 267 - The Second Contract
"S-So, how is it…?"
"It's delicious. You made this with a drip brewer, right? That's really impressive."
At my wholehearted praise, Sora visibly relaxed, her shoulders slumping in relief.
Seeing her like that, I felt half-apologetic for causing her so much stress, and half-happy that she was being so considerate.
In truth, it was genuinely impressive. I'd had a thing or two beaten into me at a café run by a coffee fanatic, so I had some confidence in my palate.
It was on par with the coffee made by that self-proclaimed maid, Natsume-san, and I certainly didn't know anyone her age who could produce such an authentic flavor. You could open a shop, Sora-san.
I wonder what beans she used for this blend. I can tell the difference in taste, but I don't have enough knowledge to decipher the components without any hints—
""…""
…And so, the time I'd bought by focusing solely on the taste of the coffee lasted less than thirty seconds. An indescribable atmosphere filled the space between us as we sat facing each other once more.
I couldn't just stay silent, but what on earth was I supposed to talk about—
"Um…"
We spent some time glancing at each other, then looking away.
Just as I was about to open my mouth without any real plan, it was the girl who broke the silence first.
"I'm… I'm still very confused. I understand the situation, but I haven't been told at all how it… how it came to this…"
"Ah, yeah, I bet…"
If she had been told beforehand, she wouldn't be this bewildered. This was most likely a grand surprise from Mr. Yotsuya, intended for the both of us.
So, while I didn't know everything myself, I tried to explain what I could to Sora—
"—Father…!"
—And the result was one furious daughter of the Yotsuya family.
"Now, now… I'm sure it's not like Yotsu—I mean, Togo-san, had any bad intentions, given his personality…"
Somehow, he had a similar vibe to Goldow, didn't he? Serious when he needed to be, but always ready to crack a joke when he had the chance. I sensed that kind of disposition in him.
"Yes…! That may be, but that's not it… Um… First of all, how do you think he knew about us?"
"Huh? Well, that's…"
Well, that's… wait, now that you mention it, how?
No, it's not a question of 'how.' The only possible way he could know about our relationship is if he'd been 'watching'—
"…Hold on a second. If I remember correctly, there was something in the contract I had to sign when I ordered [Arcadia]… what was it?"
Something about granting the developers permission to use gameplay footage for the purpose of data collection…
"—"
It wasn't just that Mr. Yotsuya knew about us.
It was the source of his trust—the reason he could leave his beloved daughter with me, someone he'd just met in person, with such a carefree expression on his face.
More than the surprise, it was the 'certain possibility'—or rather, the 'certain truth'—that truly angered Sora. The moment my thoughts arrived at that conclusion…
I was at a loss for words, a cold sweat broke out on my brow, and I nearly dropped my coffee cup.
"…I don't want to believe it, but."
"…Yes."
"Don't tell me… he saw… everything…?"
There was no reply. Sora simply offered a quiet smile—
"I'll be sure to get it out of him."
"Ah… yes."
Seeing that spine-chillingly cold smile, I offered a silent prayer for Mr. Yotsuya in my heart—
…Actually, there's no need for that. Please, give him a thorough scolding.
In any case.
"If he saw everything and still feels that way, then I guess I should be grateful."
"…Don't you think you're forcing yourself to accept this a little too much? This is a complete invasion of privacy."
"Well, it is a right we players granted the company… and at the very least, it means he trusts me enough to entrust his daughter to me, right?"
What's more, he's the one who approached me with the title of 'fiancé.'
"In that sense, I'm genuinely happy."
"—…Is that so?"
Regardless of the depth of that trust, there's no greater sense of security than knowing you've been acknowledged.
To be able to stand beside her in this world as well—it was an unhoped-for, miraculous stroke of luck.
"…Haru…"
"Yeah?"
She put down her cup, picked it up, and put it down again. Her gaze shifting restlessly, Sora hesitantly opened her mouth.
"What… do you think…? About… um…"
She looked like it was incredibly difficult to say, her hesitation insurmountable—but I wasn't so dense that I couldn't figure out what she was trying to ask.
And Sora wasn't so dense that she couldn't tell I'd figured it out.
It was embarrassing, but thankfully… it seemed our telepathic connection was alive and well in the real world, too.
Seeing my face only made her clam up more, so in her stead, I asked,
"Will this be enough to protect you?"
I tried my best to sound as casual as possible.
The girl lowered her gaze, her lips trembling. Then, as if to build up her courage, she drained her coffee—
"—My father told me."
"…And what was that?"
"He said, this is your chance to fulfill your promise… 'to protect her no matter what.'"
"—Ha, haha…"
That was likely from last night—it seems I really should assume he knows everything.
It was both reassuring and made me want to go bury myself in a hole… But if I'm being acknowledged even after he knows, perhaps the wisest course of action is to just accept it and feel 'relieved.'
"Well then, I guess it's the same as in the virtual world after all."
"—…Are you really sure? You won't regret it?"
"I think that's my line."
"That's not true. I'm sure there will be lots and lots of trouble."
"Isn't that true for both of us?"
"…"
The words stopped, and her sky-blue eyes wavered.
Because we already knew each other's hearts..
All that was left to wait for wasn't an answer, but for each of us to find our resolve.
"…Haru."
"Yeah."
"Will you protect me?"
"If you'll protect me, Sora."
It's not about one or the other. We are, after all, equal partners.
The smiles we exchanged served as our second oath, following our partnership contract.
"Well then—I'm Haru Kasuga. It's nice to meet you."
"—… I'm Sora Yotsuya. It's a pleasure to meet you."
The hand that grasped my outstretched one—
Felt just a little warmer than the small hand I was used to.